The invention relates to an input device comprising capacitive detection device having detection surface including first array of array electrodes; electronic evaluation unit electrically connected to array electrodes to form associated electric measuring field array for spatially resolving detection of capacitive influence on detection surface; handling means disposed on detection surface to be movable along an adjustment path parallel to detection surface, in order to perform an operating input; position indicator; and coupling device with a first surface on which a second array of coupling electrodes is formed, and with a second surface on which a third array including spaced-apart contact surfaces is formed. Based on the position of the handling means, contact surfaces are touch-contacted by the position indicator. The coupling device includes several electrically conductive connections to capacitively influence the measuring field array. The electronic evaluation unit is configured to detect position-dependent influence on measuring field array.

The operating unit (10) for a vehicle component is provided with a housing (14) having a frame (16) and a display (62) having a transparent cover pane (18) with an edge (22). A plurality of actuators (24) for introducing flexural waves into the cover pane (18) is arranged along the edge (22) of the cover pane (18). A contact surface (34) is assigned to each actuator (24) on the cover pane (18), by means of which contact surface the actuator (24) acts on the cover pane (18) in order to introduce flexural waves into the cover pane (18). The flexural waves introduced into the cover pane (18) by the actuators (24) are superposed in the cover pane (18) and give the cover pane (18) a tactilely sensible, locally resolved surface structure. The contact surfaces (34) are each arranged at a distance from the frame (16) of the housing (14), and consequently the introduction of flexural waves into the cover pane (18) and/or the propagation of flexural waves in the cover pane (18) is damped for wavelengths or frequencies resulting from the magnitude of the distance. The distance is selected in such a way that flexural waves having frequencies in the audible frequency range are damped.

The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.

A haptic feedback method for a touch display screen of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a touch operation of a user from the touch display screen of the vehicle; determining a type of the acquired touch operation, and retrieving a pre-stored feedback signal corresponding to the type of the touch operation, wherein different types of the touch operations correspond to different feedback signals; and transmitting the corresponding feedback signal to an actuator, and driving the actuator to vibrate by using the feedback signal for providing haptic feedback. A haptic feedback system and a haptic feedback control device are also provided.

A motor vehicle operating unit for a motor vehicle, having a haptic feedback device and an operating surface rotatable about an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation being substantially parallel to a plane spanned by the operating surface in the initial position of the motor vehicle operating unit, the haptic feedback device being arranged so as to control the operating surface such that the operating surface rotates about the axis of rotation. A method of confirming a switching command by means of a motor vehicle operating unit is furthermore described.

An input device includes a base member, a motor, a rotation shaft, a worm gear, a first gear, a second gear, an elastic member, a rotor, an angle detection unit, and a controller. The rotation shaft is rotated by the motor. The worm gear is unitarily rotated with the rotation shaft. The first gear is rotatable and engaged with the worm gear. The second gear is coaxial with the first gear. The elastic member generates urging force. The rotor is rotatable relative to the base member, includes a third gear engaged with the second gear, and is rotated by an operator. The angle detection unit detects a first rotation angle of the first gear and a second rotation angle of the second gear. The controller performs drive control for the motor to change a sense of force applied to the operator.

A notification control system (NCS) is configured to coordinate the delivery of notifications issued from a set of devices to the driver of a vehicle. The NCS registers all interactive devices residing in a vehicle and causes those devices to conform to specific directives generated by the NCS. The NCS analyzes and predicts the cognitive and emotional load on the driver and also estimates the cognitive and emotional impact on the driver potentially caused by any incoming notifications. The NCS then coordinates the delivery of notifications to the driver in a manner that avoids overwhelming the cognitive and/or emotional capacity of the driver. Accordingly, the NCS may avoid situations where device notifications cause the driver to unsafely divert attention away from driving.

A system comprising an interface module (IM) for receiving input and generating outputs, the IM being associated with processor (17) and memory (19); a controller module (18) (CM) that is operable independently of and communicatively connected to the IM and that is associated with processor (20) and memory (22) and that receives inputs and generates outputs to control accessories wherein each memory stores a copy of a parameter list (38) and rules governing generation of the outputs, wherein each of the IM and CM is configured such that responsive to each input, the processor of the respective module IM, CM defines a state in the associated copy of the list and communicates with the other module IM, CM to cause the state to be defined in the other copy, wherein each rule requires a state to be present in the list for generation of an associated output by each module.

A method for having an occupant of a vehicle that is in a highly automated driving mode take over a driving task includes the steps of determining that the occupant has taken over the driving task and, in response thereto, automatically actuating a handle element, which can change its shape, in order to affect the haptics of a rim of a steering wheel of the vehicle.

The invention relates to an operating unit for a vehicle, comprising a touchscreen, an actuator for mechanically exciting the touchscreen upon detection of a valid manual actuation of the touchscreen when an operating command is input, and a counterweight. The actuator is designed as a drive unit with a stator and a translator which move in opposite directions either away from each other or towards each other, namely into an end position, starting from a rest position when the drive unit is actuated and which move back into the rest position from the end position after the actuation has ended, in particular in an automatic manner. The stator is coupled to the touchscreen, and the translator is coupled to the counterweight or vice versa.